Psalm 59:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise up against me;

NIV: For the director of music. To the tune of 'Do Not Destroy.' Of David. A miktam. When Saul had sent men to watch David's house in order to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, O God; be my fortress against those who are attacking me.

NASB: Rescue me from my enemies, my God; Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.

CSB: Rescue me from my enemies, my God; protect me from those who rise up against me.

NLT: Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me.

KJV: {To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him.} Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against me.

NKJV: {To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him.} Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Defend me from those who rise up against me.

David often experienced danger, sometimes from his own people. Early in his life, the greatest threat came from Saul, who was then king, and jealously hated David. At one point, Saul conspired to have men wait to assassinate David as he left his home in the morning. But Michal—David's wife and Saul's daughter—warned David and helped him escape through a window (1 Samuel 19:11–16). The incident which inspired this psalm also resembles an experience of the apostle Paul in Damascus (Acts 9:23–25).

The essence of David's request is protection. He recognizes the conspiracy against him (Psalm 59:2–3). This psalm will refer to these enemies as "evil," "bloodthirsty," and "fierce." David will repeatedly depict them as a pack of savage wild dogs (Psalm 59:6, 14–15).

This is one of the so-called "imprecatory" psalms: prayers for God to bring brutal justice on evil people (Psalm 5; 58; 137). David does not plan to take revenge himself—rather, he trusts that the Lord will act in His own way (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19). This psalm is labeled using the term "miktam," which suggests a musical style. The words are meant to be sung along to a tune titled "Do Not Destroy:" a melody used as a basis for several other psalms (Psalm 57; 58; 75). The "choirmaster" is probably the person who led group worship events.

David prays, asking the Lord to deliver him from a lurking band of bloodthirsty enemies. He calls on the God of Israel to make an example of these lying, evil men, and to destroy them entirely. Rather than despair, David firmly trusts in the Lord and looks forward to victory. David concludes his psalm with praise to the Lord, his Strength, whose love is loyal. David praises God for being his fortress and shelter.

This is one of many psalms where David prays for rescue from his enemies (Psalm 3:1–3; 7:1–2; 54:1–2). King Saul jealously sent men to wait outside David's home to assassinate him (1 Samuel 19:11–16), but David was able to escape with the help of his wife. Because David asks for the Lord to severely judge the wicked, this is considered one of the "imprecatory" psalms, along with Psalms 5, 10, 58, 69, 83, 109, 137, 140, and others.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.